80 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWIXG. 



This preparation, as in the case of land for late cabbages, 

 must be made in anticipation of rain, as the transplanting 

 is done at midsummer, when it not unfrequently happens 

 there is but little weather suited to this work ; hence, 

 everything must be in readiness to take advantage of the 

 first shower. 



Sowing Seed and Growing Plants, The seed may be 



sown in a hot-bed or cold-frame, if plants are desired early, 

 but for main crop it must be sown in the open air, as 

 early in the spring as the ground can be worked. Select 

 a piece of rich, mellow soil, a little moist than otherwise ; 

 plow a bed four to six feet wide, and any length re- 

 quired ; spade this over, mixing in fine well-rotted manure ; 

 make the soil fine, rake with a steel rake, making the sur- 

 face level and entirely free from lumps or stones. 



In sowing, use a board eight or nine inches broad, and as 

 long as the bed is wide ; lay the board across the bed, and 

 with a small stick or the point of a dibble make a shallow 

 mark on each side of it, in which deposit the seed with 

 the thumb and finger, thinly and evenly ; turn the board 

 over twice, again mark and sow, and so proceed until the 

 bed is sown ; then from each side, reaching half-way over 

 the bed, draw the back of a spade over each row, at the 

 same time pressing the soil ; and this is all the covering 

 required. 



If the weather is dry an occasional watering at evening 

 will be beneficial. 



An ounce of seed will produce six thousand plants. As 

 soon as the plants appear, carefully hoe them, and remove 

 all weeds from the rows ; twice hoeing and weeding will 

 usually suffice, but do not allow the weeds to get the least 

 start. Should the plants be large enough to set out be- 

 fore the ground is ready to receive them, the tops may be 

 shorn off, which will make them stouter and prevent 

 them from growing spindling. 



Planting and Cultivating, During the month of July, 



